Game apparatus.



F. J. L. BOLLHORN.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1913.

1,093,909. Patented Apr- 21, 19m

wi/lmmo COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH cm, WASHINGTON D c W 5931 W, 6M8.

FRANZ J. L. BOLLHORN, OF LAUENBURG-ON-THE-ELIBE, GERMANY.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 3, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 798,997.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANZ J. L. BOLL- HORN, subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Lauenburg-on-the-Elbe, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus and has as its object to provide game apparatus which may be played by several persons and which will afford considerable amusement and exercise.

The invention has as its object further to provide a game apparatus in the use of which considerable skill will be required both by the one operating the apparatus and the other players.

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the catching device of the apparatus.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

The apparatus includes a stand upon which the swinging arm supporting the catching device is mounted and this stand includes a head 1 which is preferably circular and which is supported by legs 2 which may be secured upon the surface of a floor or, if the game is to be played out-of-doors, a supplemental stand 3 having pointed legs 1 may be arranged within the set of legs 2,

the ends of its legs 4: being driven into the ground. A pin or spindle 5 is mounted axially of the head 1 and extends above the same and supports for vertical sliding movement a head 6 which is substantially of the same dimensions and form as the head 1. The purpose of the head 6 will be presently explained.

The arm, above mentioned, includes a relatively broad portion 7 which is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 8 from which the spindle 5 projects, it being apparent that the arm may turn upon the spindle, may have up and down movement thereon,

and may be shifted backwardly and forwardly. The arm is adapted to be rotated through the medium of a handle 9 which is fixed at one end thereof and preferably extends upwardly at an angle so that it may be conveniently grasped by the person operating the apparatus.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the head 6 normally rests by gravity upon the section 7 of'the arm, whereby to hold the section flat upon the head 1 when it will be apparent that the section of the arm may be moved upwardly or the arm may be tilted, it being however, returned to normal position by the weight of the said head. Secured to that end of the section 7 opposite that end at which the handle 9 is mounted is the inner end of the other section of the arm, indicated by the numeral 10, this latter section supporting the catching device, which will now be described.

The catching device mentioned above consists essentially of a cruciform frame 11, the arms of which are indicated by the numeral 12. The frame is preferably formed between each two of its arms with a recess 13, the wall of which may, if desired, be lined with any suitable material to prevent injury to the players. The frame 11 is mounted at the end of the section 10 of the arm by means of a bolt 14: secured through the said end of the section and axially through the frame. The frame is braced against turning movement by means of brace wires 15 which are secured to the ends of the arms between which the section 10 of the swinging arm extends and to the said section 10.

Secured upon the upper and under sides of each arm 12 are cross bars or strips 16 which project at their ends beyond the lateral edges of the respective arm and have pivoted between their projecting ends as at 17, the inner ends of fingers 18. Each finger 18 is provided with a beveled inner end 19 and it will be observed that when the fingers are in position with their beveled ends resting against the lateral edges of the respective arms, the spaces between the arms will be substantially closed. The fingers are yieldably held in the position stated by means of springs 20, one of which is provided for the set of fingers carried by each arm. It will be observed that the pivots 17 are located near the shorter sides of the fingers and that the springs 20 are secured at their ends near the longer sides of the fingers at the beveled inner ends thereof. It will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2 that the fingers which extend across the space between any two of the arms may be swung inwardly against the tension of the springs connected to them and it will be apparent that the springs will serve to return the fingers to normal position.

In playing the game, a point is selected upon the floor surface or ground surface at which the stand 1 isto be located and with this point as a center two concentric circles are drawn as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2, the space between the circles being divided at intervals by lines marked upon the surface or by cords or wires, into a number of equidistantly spaced courts 21. The circles are located such a distance from the center that when the stand is properly positioned and the arm swung around the spindle 5 as its axis, the catching device shown in Fig. 3 will move in a circle between the marked oif circles and will pass successively over the courts 21. The apparatus having been placed in position, that one of the players who is to first operate the apparatus takes his position within the cir cles and the other players position themselves in the courts 21. The first mentioned player then grasps the handle 9 and swings the arm 7 around, preferably one complete revolution. As the catching device approaches the players who are standing in the courts 21, it becomes their duty to avoid the same without, however, leaving their respective courts. Should the catching device strike the limbs of any of the players, however, the pair of fingers 18 engaging the limb will be momentarily swung inwardly until the limb has entered the recess 13 whereupon they will be returned to'normal position. This player is then considered as caught and must take his turn at operating the apparatus. It is of course to be understood that if any one of the players standing within the courts 21, in avoiding the catching device, leaves his or her respective court, a penalty attaches which may bedetermined by the rules for playing the game, which rules may be arbitrary and agreed upon by the players as may be desired.

It will be apparent that inasmuch as the arm is shiftable upon the spindle 5, that side of the catching device which is presented outwardly 0r radially may be en gaged with the limb of a player standing in any of the courts by first pulling back upon the handle 9 and then quickly shoving forwardly thereon. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the catching device is operative when the arm is swung in either direction.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, and

limb engaging means carried by the arm.

In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement and for shifting movement, and limb engaging means carried by the arm.

3. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a cruciform frame carried by the arm, and limb engaging fingers projecting from adj acent sides of adjacent arms of the frame.

4:. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a cruciform frame carried by the arm, and limb engaging fingers projecting from the arms of the frame and yieldably held in engageable position.

5. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a cruciform frame carried by the arm, and limb engaging means extending between adjacent arms of the frame.

6. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a cruciform frame carried by the said arm, limb engaging fingers yield ably held in position and extended toward each other from adjacent sides of adjacent arms of the frame, said fingers being yieldably connected to the frame, and means for limiting the outward movement of the said fingers.

7. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a frame carried by the arm and having a recessed side, a limb engaging finger extending from the said side of the frame part way across the open side of the recess therein, and means yieldably holding the finger in such position.

8. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a frame carried by the arm and having a recessed side, a limb engaging finger extending from the said side of the frame part way across the open side of the recess therein, means yieldably holding the finger in such position, and means for limiting the outward movement of the finger.

9. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a frame mounted upon the arm and having spaced limb engaging arms, and means normally substantially closing the space between the arms.

10. In game apparatus, a stand, an arm mounted thereon for turning movement, a

frame mounted upon the arm and having fingers With their said beveled ends in such 10 spaced limb engaging arms, and means norengagement.

mally substantially closing the space be- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature twegn the arris, said mefins comprising in presence of tWo Witnesses.

lim en a in n ers ivote u on the arms and haziri g bevelled i ner ends adapted to FRANZ BOLLHO'RN' rest against the sides of the arms, whereby WVitnesses:

the fingers will be limited in their out-Ward ERNEST H. L. MUMMENHOFF, movement, and means yieldably holding the IDA CHRIST. HAFERMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

